Car door



May 28, 1935. w, yA. BEAUCHAMP A 2,003,033

l CAR Doon Filed NOV. -l5, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet' l CAR DooR A 'I' 2 sheets-'shefz w, A. BEALJcl-lAlviF Filed Nov. 15, 1933 May 28,

F. .M w

Patented May 28, 1935 'poration'of Ohio y 2,003,033` UNITED 'STATES' PATENT gOFFrCE by mesne assignments, to The Youngstown n Steel Door Company, Cleveland, Ohio, `a cor- Application November 15, 1933, Serial No. 698,059

14 Claims.

'I'his invention relates to car doors and ccn-V cerns itself more particularly with thattype of doors which is frictionally supported upon the car side in its normal or lowered position and elevated above its frictional support and disposedupon antiriction meanswhen it is desired to move said doors toward open or closed position.

It isfan object of this invention to provide lift mechanism in connection with a carfdoor of sub- I stantial depth, comprising a metallic panel disposed in the main in substantially the outer plane of said door, and a horizontally extending backing plate secured to the lower portion of said panel. and offset therefrom to lie'rsubstantially inthe inner plane of said door wherebysaid mechanisinv may be placed between said panel and back# ing plate so as to decrease theprojectin thereof beyond the outer plane of tthe door.

A furtherobject is to provide a car doorwithv lift mechanism comprising an. operating lever capable of assembly with said mechanism and attachment to said door while lsaid door is mounted upon the car. 'Y

Other objects of the invention will become clear i as the description thereof proceeds. Y

In the drawingsformingpart of this specifi? cation: v

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a railwaycar showing the invention .applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a rfragmentary elevation of the lower 'left hand corner of the door shown on anenlarged scale; Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 3 3 of Figure 2; Figure 4 is al` sectional View taken on line 4--4 of Figure l; .l ,y

Figure 5 is a vertical section taken on line 5--5 of Figure 2; Y n

Figure 6 is a vertical section taken on line 6-5 of Figure 2,;

Figure 'l is a vertical section taken on line 1 1 of Figure 2; and Y Figure 8 is a horizontal sectionV taken on line 3 8 of Figure 1. Y

Referring to the drawings inv which a preferred embodiment of the inventionis illustrated,Y thev numeral IE)designatesfaportion of the side of a railway house car upon which'the door Il is mounted for sliding movement. Thek door Il `is adapted to close a door-opening I2, the front edge cf which is defined by means of a Z-shaped door post i3, theinwardly disposed longitudinal ange i4 of which is secured to the'car'side, as indicated in Figure 3 vof the drawings. TheY door post I3 is; provided with a transversely Vextending web i5 and a longitudinally and rearwardly ex-V tending fiange I E. The bottom ofthe door opening is deiined by a side sill Il constitutinga part of the underframe of the car, saidsill, asY clearly appears from Figure 5 of theV drawings `being (c1. 2li-22) y Y c formed by means of an angle, the vertically ex-r tending fiange I3 of which projects upwardly a7 l distance equal tothe depth of Vthecar floor i9V within the door opening. [A threshold plate overlies theV outer portion of the floor and is pro'` vided witha return bend?! within which the` outwardly extending horizontal nange V22 cfa reinforcing angle 23 is received.: The a`ngle`23Y is secured, to the side sill as by means of rivets 2'4. The side sill Il is reinforeed'by means of va channel or similar memberv2l5 which isfsecured'tov the horizontally extending flange 25ct aside sill; as shown inFigure 5 of the drawings. A plu-j rality of. trackr supporting brackets 2l, Yone of' which is shown in Figure 5 are secured preferably to` thek reinforcing channel member'Y 25. These brackets 21 areadapted to supporta track-28.

disposed below the door openingpsSaid track comprises ahorizontal flange 29 extending'in-vv Wardly and secured tothe brackets byfmeans ff rivets .139l anda downwardly extendingfiiange 3l.' Y

Thetrack 28is adapted to support the .door

and mechanism of the instant invention. The door ,Il comprises. a metallic'panel i12,AV vertical marginal reinforcing members 33 and 34, abottom horizontally extending reinforcing vmember 35 and a top reinforcing vmember. (gnot shown) of anyV desired construction. V'Itis to beobserved that the marginal reinforcing'members suchjas L Y j 33, 34 and 35 define a door of substantial depth. "30

As clearly shown in Figure 3- of the drawings the vertical reinforcing "member 33 secured tothe front vmargin of the `door is ,comprised of a KZ-4V y exclude the weather.'1 The bottomreinforcing member 35, which is of channel shape in section, Y

is disposed withA the nanges lil'and 42 thereof f extending downwardly, the. latter flange being,`

securedto the panel 32 of the door by lmeans of a plurality of rivets 43; Y

` The panel 32, which maybe ofany desiredA plate 44 is secured to the-inside of thepanel32 by means of a plurality of rivetsY d5.l The backing plate 44 is offset as indicated at 4,6 so astol provide a downwardly extending flange 41 disposed substantiallyY in the inner plane of the door dened by the forwardly extending flange 36 of the reinforcing member 33. Adjacent its lower edge the fiange 41 is secured to the flange -4| of .the channel reinforcing member 35 byN means of a plurality of rivets 48.

The door il in its normal or lowered position is adapted to be seatedv upon the supporting track 28 in frictional engagement therewith as clearly shown in the drawings. Lift mechanism is provided whereby saiddoor may be elevated above the track and supported upon rolling means for movement upon the track.. The lift mechanism is secured adjacent the lower corners of the door, as clearly shownV in Figure 1 of the drawings, and isV disposed for the most part within the space .provided byV the Vpanel 32 and the backing plate 44'. To permit this disposal of the lift devices the panel 32 of the door is cutaway adjacent each lower corner thereof along theV lines defined by the points designated by the reference characters a, b, c, and d and" a, b', c' and d. respectively."V Within the cut away portion adjacent 'the front lower corner ofl the. door the lift device 49 vis secured. The lift de.- vice 49 comprisesV a 'reinforcing plate 50 secured as byA means of rivets 5l to the backing plate 44.

Adjacent the upper edge of the reinforcing plate 50 said plate is offset as indicated at 52 and`53,

these offsets being provided with the longitudi. nally extending flanges 54 and 55 by means of which the reinforcing plate 59 is secured'to the rearwardly extending ange 31 of thek reinforcing member 33 and to the panel 32 of thedoor Il by means of rivets 56. In order to drive `these 1 rivets the backing plate 44 is provided' with openings 5T and 58. Said lift device comprises also a cover .plate 59 secured to the panel VV32 inpart by means of the` rivets 45 which secure the backe ing plate 44 to saidl panel and 'by the rivets 56 which secure the reinforcing plate to the rearwardly extending flange 3T `and to the panel 32. The cover'plate 59 is disposed so as tocover ythe vmember 60. The mounting of the roller retainer and its roller is such that the roller preferably is in engagementwith'the door'supporting track 28.v The cover plate 59, in addition to the securement to the door set forth above, is also secured adjacent the lower edge thereof tothe backing plate 44. To this endv the an'ge 3l' of thefmarginal reinforcing member 33 stops short of the lower edge of the door as indicated at 68 and the cover plate 59 is offset inwardly as'indicated at 69 and then extended downwardly to provide a flange 'l0 by means of which the cover member is secured to the vertical flange 41 of the backing plate by means of the rivet 1I.

The'tr'unnion 62 provided on the roller retaining member 60 is'exte'nded outwardly beyond the bearing 84 formed inthe cover plate 59. Said trunnion 62, whichV is Vnormally Vsubstantially cylindrical, is provided with the parallel faces 12 and 13. The trunnion 62 thus formedis adapted to have operative engagement with an operating lever 14 which is provided with a slot 'l5 in its lower. portion, saidv slot, as clearly indicated` in' Figure 2 of `the drawings, opening through the lower edge of the operating lever. Disengagement of the lower portion of the operating lever 4,'l4 from the trunnion 52 by movement transversely to the door is prevented by means ofthe anges 'I andrl'l formed on the cover plate. These flanges vare adapted to overlap corresponding anges 'I8` and 'I9 formed on the lower portion ofthe operating lever. It will be apparent, however, from Figure 2 of the drawings that the flanges 16 and 'll' ofthe cover plate do not prevent engagement of the operating lever with the trunnions 62 .by a substantially sliding movement of the operating lever. The cover plate additionally is provided with a substantially hook shaped portion 8U which is adapted' tol be interlocked with the flange 3l of the track Z8 in order to prevent disengagement of the lower portion of thedooz` from the track.

A lift device 8| substantially similar to the lift device 49 vis secured to the door adjacent the lower right hand corner thereof. The 'lift device Bi Vcomprises a reinforcing plate 82, a cover plate v8? associated with the backing plate. and panel as' heretofore described and to which a roller-retaining member 84, carrying a roller 85, is journaled. It is to be observed that the cover plate 83 is not provided with anges similar to the flanges and 'll provided on the cover plate 59, but that thetrunnion 89 of the retaining member 84 is extended outwardly beyond the cover plate so that inthe event of destruction or breakage of the trunnion 62 and operating lever I4 the trunnion 85 may be engaged as` by means of a wrench in order to operate the lift devices. The cover plate 83 is providedwith a hook shaped portion 89 adapted to engage the depending flange 3l ofthe track in order to prevent disengagement of the lower portion of the door from the track. Y

To obtain simultaneous operation of the lift devices the roller retaining members 69 and 84 are connected together. `For this purpose the roller retainer 69 is provided with an angular lug 8"! and the roller retainer 84 is provided with a corresponding lug 88. These lugs are adapted to extend through openings 89 and 99 formed in a connecting bar 9| disposed within the space provided by the panel and the offset backing plate. vIt will be apparent from the foregoing that actuation of the operating lever 'i4 will impartsimultaneous movement to the roller retaining members E@ and 84 in order to elevate the door about the rollers as trunnions.

Means is provided whereby disengagement of the operating lever 14 from the trunnion 62 is prevented, said means serving, moreover, to permit replacement ofthe operating lever 14 in the event said lever is broken or lost without the necessity of removing the door from the car for such replacement.

form. The keeper member 92 is secured as by means ofrivets S3 to the door. The operating lever 14 is formed with yan inwardly extending lug 94 lying below the keeper member 92 and with a downwardly extending finger 95 offset inwardly from the lever 'I4 as indicated at 9G so as to provide space between the finger 95 and the lever to receive a flange 9'! formed on the keeper 92.A .In view of this structure it will be-evident that the operating lever 14 cannot be raised sufllciently .because of the engagement between the e Accordingly, a keeper mem-l ber 92 is provided and is preferably arcuate in keeper 92 and the lug 94 provided on the lever to bring about disengagement of the lower portion of thelever from the trunnionSZ'. Itv will also be evident that by means of theinterlocking iianges provided on ,the lowerlportion ofthe lever and on the cover plate 59 that thelever 4cannot be disengaged from the trunnion 62 by an outward movement of the lever. However, if it becomes necessary to replace the lever such replacement may be had by merely removing the rivets 93 which secure the keeper S2 to the Ydoor engaging the lower portion of the lever with the trunnion 62 by a substantially sliding movement of the'lever'and again riveting the keeper 92 to the door so as to establishV the relationship between saidkeeper andthe lug: 94'andfnger 95 provided on the operating lever asfhereinabove described. In this mode ofreplacement of the lever it is obvious that the door may remain upon the car.

It will be apparent that numerous changes and modifications in the details of theginvention will be clear to those skilled in the art. Itis intended, therefore, that all such modifications and changes be comprehended within this. invention, which is to be limited only bythe scope ofthe claims appended hereto. Y

I claim:

11. In a railway car door comprising a metallic panel disposed in substantially thev outer plane of said door, a horizontally y,extending backing plate secured to the lower portion of said-panel, said backing plate being Aoffset inwardly fromsaid panel and disposed in substantially the inner plane of said door, said vpanel being coped adjacent the lower corners of said door, elevating mechanism insertable througheach of said coped portions having operative relationship with' said door and a vcover plate for closing each of said portions secured to said door. Y Y

2. In a .railway car door comprising a metallic panel disposed in substantially the outer plane of said door, a horizontally extending backing plate secured to the lower'portion of said panel, said backing plate being offset inwardly from said panel andk disposed in substantially the` inner plane of said door,lsaid panel being coped adjacent the lower corners of said door; elevatingY mechanisminsertable through each of said copedv portions, said'mechanism comprising a roller and a roller retainer provided with a trunnion rotatably mounted upon said backing plate, a plate secured to 'said' door for covering each' Vofsaid coped portions, a bearing vformed in each of said cover plates and a secondtrunnion'on each of said retainers aligned with 'said first mentioned trunnion journaledin said cover plate,-an operating lever secured to one of saidsecond mentioned trunnions 'and a bar disposed between said panel and Vbacking plate connecting said rolle retainers for simultaneous movement. Y Y

13.' In a railway car door comprising a metallic panel disposed in substantially the outer plane of said door and vertical marginal reinforcingY members having flanges secured to said panel, a horizontally extending backing plate secured to the lower portion ofsaid panel, said backing plate being offsetinwardly from said 'panel and disposed in substantially the inner plane of said door, said panel being coped adjacent the lower corners of said door, a reinforcing plate secured to said backing plate in opposed relationship with each of said coped portions, outwardly offsetV longitudinally extending flanges provided on each of said reinforcing plates, a cover plate having longitudinally directed flanges covering eachof said coped.` portions, certain of said flangesrof said reinforcing and cover plates being secured to said panel, the remaining flanges thereof being secured to said vlianges of the vertical marginal reinforcing membersl and elevating mechanism disposed-between and journaled in said reinforcingvand cover plates; 1 ,Y

4. In aY railway car door comprising a metallic panel disposed in substantially the outer plane ofV said door andvertical marginal reinforcing members having flanges secured to said.. panel, a horizontally extending backing platesecured to the lower portion of said'paneL said backing plate .being offset inwardly" from said panel and disposed in substantially theinner `plane `of said poor, said panely being copedadjacent the lower corners Yof said door, a reinforcing plate secured to said backing plate-in opposed relationship with each of said coped portions, outvsl'ardly offsetlongitudinally vextending flanges provided ron eachjy of said reinforcing plates,y a .cover plate having longitudinally directed flanges covering eachl of said copedY portions, certainy of said iianges of:

said reinforcing and cover plates being riveted to said' panel ,which is disposed j between Ssaid flanges, the remaining flanges being riveted vto said flanges of the verticalrreinforcing members,

said backing plate being provided with apertures,r

whereby said rivets may be driven to secure said parts' together `and elevating'mechanisrn disposed to said backing' plate in opposed relationship with each of said coped portions, outwardly offset' lon-y gitudinally extending flanges provided on each of said reinforcing plates, a cover plate having lon'- gitudinally directed anges covering each of said coped portions, certain of said flanges of said re. inforcingj and cover plates being riveted to said panel which is disposed between said flanges, the remaining Yflanges being riveted to Vflanges directed toward each other and provided on vertical' reinforcingmembers secured to the vertical margins of said door, said latter flanges lying sub#A stantially in the outer plane of said door, said backing plate being providedY with apertures whereby said rivets may be driven'to secure said parts together, theV flanges of said vcover plates secured to said Vertical reinforcing members being offset inwardly adjacent the lower portions thereof whereby said flanges 'may` be secured to said backing plate, the iianges of lthe verticalreinforcing members stopping short of the lower edge of vsaid door to permit offsetting of said cover plate flanges vand elevating mechanism rdisposed be tween and journaled in said reinforcing and cover plates.v 1

, 6. In arailway house car, a door adapted to belA parallel to said door, said door and the lower portion of said lever being provided withflanges interlockingly engaged by said sliding movement of the lever to prevent disengagement of said portion of said lever from said mechanism by an outward movement thereof and a member secured to said doorandassociatedwith said lever for retaining said lever upon said door whereby said lever may be disengaged from or associated with said elevating mechanism by a substantially sliding movement inaplane parallel to said door upon removal of said member while said door is mounted upon said car. v y

7. In a railway houser car, a door adaptedto be frictionally Vsupported upon said car, elevating mechanism including rolling means for lifting and supporting saiddoor. for antifrictional longitudinal movement relative to' said car, an operating lever for said mechanism adapted to Ybe engaged therewith'and disengaged:` therefrom by a sub- :stantially sliding movement in a plane parallel to said Vdoor whilev said door is mountedfupon said car and amember adapted to be secured to Y saiddoor and associated withsaid lever to pre- :vent opposite sliding movement of said lever and disengagement thereof from said mechanism.

8. In a railway house car, a door adapted to be frictionally supported upon said car, elevating mechanism including rolling means for; elevating .and supporting ssaid door 4for antifrictional longitudinal' movement relative tosaid car,V an operating lever for said mechanism adapted-to be engaged therewith and disengaged therefrom by` a' substantially sliding movement` while said door is mounted upon said car, a member adapted to be secured to said door and associatedwith i said lever to prevent opposite slidingmovement o f said lever and disengagement thereof from said mechanism, and means upon said car having interlocking engagement with said lever to' prevent disengagement thereof from said mechanismA by an outward movement of said lever. l t N Y 9.. In a railway house. car, a door adapted to b vfrictionallyY supported upon said car, elevating mechanism including rolling means for lifting and supporting said door for antifrictional longitudinal movement relative to said car, an operat- V ing lever for said mechanism adapted to be engaged therewith and disengaged therefrom by a substantially sliding movement while said door is mounted uponsaid car, a member adapted to be secured to said Vdoor andassociatedwith said lever to prevent opposite sliding movement of said Ylever andvdisengagement thereof from said mechanism, and means upon said car having interlocking engagement with said lever and means upon said lever having interlocking engagement with said' member to prevent disengagement thereof from said `mechanism by movement of said lever.V

an! outward 10. In a railway house car, a door adapted tovbe frictionally supported upon said car,- elevating,

mechanism comprising a roller retainer provided with oppositely extending trunnions and aroller journaled in said door adjacent each of the lower corners thereof, one of the trunnions of a roller retainer extending outwardly beyond said door,

an operating lever for said mechanism provided with a slot opening through the edge of said lever` adapted to operatively receive said one trunnion by a substantiallyA sliding movement ofsaid lever be frictionally supported upon said car, elevating mechanism comprising a roller retainer provided with Yoppositely extendingV trunnions and a roller journaled in said door adjacenteach of the lower corners thereof, one of the trunnions of a roller retainer extending outwardly beyond said door, an operating lever for said mechanism provided with an opening in the lower portion thereof adapted to operatively receive said one trunnion and means secured to said door adapted to engage said'lever to prevent disengagement thereof from said trunnion. i

12. In a railway house car, a door adapted to be frictionally supported upon said car, elevating mechanism comprising a roller retainer provided-with voppositely extending trunnions'and a roller journaled in said door adjacent each'of thelower cornersthereof, one of the trunnions of a roller retainer extending outwardly beyond said door, an .operating lever for said mechanism provided with a slot opening through the lower edge of said lever adapted vto operatively receive said one trunnion by a substantially sliding movement of saidlever, means engaging the lower portion of YsaidV lever forv preventing outward movement of said portion relative to said trun-` nion and a member secured to said door adapted to engage and prevent opposite sliding movement of said lever and disengagement thereof from said trunnion. Y 13,. Ina'` railway house car, a door adapted to be frictionallyvsupported upon said car, elevating mechanism comprising a roller retainer provided with oppositely extending trunnions and a roller journaled in said door adjacent each of the lower corners thereof, one of the trunnions of arroller retainer vextending outwardly beyond said door, an operating lever for said mechanism 'provided with a'slot opening through the lower edge ofv said lever adapted to operatively receive said one trunnion by a substantially sliding movement of said lever and a member secured to said door adapted to' overlie a projection provided on said lever to prevent opposite sliding movement of. said lever and disengagement thereof from said trunnion.; 14, In arailway house car, a door' adapted to be frictionally supported upon said car, elevating mechanism comprising a roller retainer provided with'oppositely extending trunnions and a roller journaledin said door adjacent each of the lower corners thereof, one of the trunnions of a roller retainer extending outwardly beyond said door, an operating lever for said mechanism providedwith a slot opening through the lower edge of; said lever adapted to operatively receive said one trunnionby a substantially sliding movement of said lever, means engaging the lower portion of said lever for preventing outward movement of said portion relative to said trunm'on anda member secured to said door adapted 

